Massed Prolonged Exposure for PTSD in Two Firefighters: Preliminary Case Study Findings

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Trauma Psychology
• First Responder Mental Health

Background:

• Military service members and first responders face high trauma exposure.
• Transitioning service members to first responder roles may increase PTSD risk due to cumulative trauma.
• High dropout rates are a common issue with standard PTSD treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the clinical utility of Massed-prolonged exposure (Massed-PE) for treating PTSD in firefighters.
• To evaluate Massed-PE's effectiveness in a population with cumulative trauma exposure.

Main Methods:

• A case study design was employed.
• Two firefighters diagnosed with PTSD were treated using Massed-PE.
• Clinical utility and symptom reduction were assessed.

Main Results:

• Both firefighters experienced significant reductions in PTSD symptoms.
• Massed-PE demonstrated clinical utility in this firefighter sample.
• The treatment approach may reduce dropout rates compared to conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• Massed-PE appears to be an effective treatment for PTSD in firefighters.
• This method may help overcome barriers associated with traditional PTSD treatment delivery.
• Further controlled research is warranted to validate these findings in firefighter populations.